Context: Paul is correcting the Corinthian ecclesia for the problems they have in letting go of their former ways. He instructs them to take the matter seriously, grieve for their failure, and take note of how they ought to conduct themselves.
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This chapter begins with Paul telling the Corinthians that they should follow his example and teachings because he was a follower of Christ. Since Paul had the holy spirit and was chosen by Christ this advice should be taken very seriously. (This verse actually belongs with the end of the previous chapter. )
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Paul starts his next topic by praising them for remembering his teachings just as he had delivered them to them and that they kept them.
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BUT he wants them to know: the head of the brothers is Christ and the head of the sisters is mankind (or, in the ecclesial context, the whole ecclesia or bride of Christ) and the head of Christ is God. So the discussion centres around heads and what they represent.
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Since the heads of the brothers represent Christ it would dishonour Christ if the brothers covered their heads. This would be in type showing that Christ is in a state of grief or mourning.
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Since the heads of sisters represent man (the ecclesia) they dishonour the ecclesia if they do not cover their heads because they are, in type, showing the sorrow of the ecclesia for the manner in which they have been behaving, ie. the bride sorrowing the treatment of the bridegroom's body and blood - see vv. 27-29. Covering the head is the same as shaving it.
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So if a woman doesn’t want to wear a head covering let her cut off her hair. But if it is not socially acceptable for her to be shorn or shaven, let her cover her head.
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The brothers should not cover their heads because they are the image and glory of God (who needs no repentance) but the woman is the glory of man being created from man (whose glory is manifesting at their meetings - see vv. 17-22).
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Man was created first and woman came out of man.
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In addition, man was not created for the woman but the woman for the man.
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Because of the creation order, it is the woman who has the delegated authority to represent the ecclesia the way the angels represent God. (Or the second possibility: because of the creation order, it is the woman who has the delegated authority to represent the ecclesia's way of life to visitors, i. e. ecclesial messengers - mailmen)
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However, men and women are one in the Lord.
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Just as vv. 8-9 apply, so the oneness is proven in that they cannot exist without each other. Woman exists because of man, but man cannot exist without woman. They are both from God. (ie. by covering her head, she is showing their grief)
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So now decide for yourselves. Would it be a conspicuous action for the women among you to pray to God without covering their heads?
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The society in which you live shows you the disgracefulness of men with long hair,
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but a woman's long hair is a glorious covering of beauty to her. (Paul is using their natural surroundings to emphasize the need for the symbol to be conspicuous- a man with a shaved or shorn head would not stand out much in a society where men typically had short hair, but a woman being covered or shorn would be readily noticeable in a society where women normally wore their long hair fashioned and styled for ornamentation. )
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If anyone complains about this, remember that neither we (you and I) nor any other ecclesia will be adopting this as a custom,
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and these instructions I am giving to you at this time are not to praise you, but I give them because your behaviour at meetings makes things worse, not better.
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I have been told, and I think I should believe it, that when you meet together, you divide yourselves up into factions.
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Now some dissention and division is necessary, to draw attention to and to show clearly what is approved and acceptable,
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but you have taken it too far. You do not meet together for the Memorial Service,
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but have turned it into a pagan free-for-all.
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Do you not have your own homes to revel in? Or do you disregard the ecclesia and embarrass those among you who are less affluent? Do you expect me to compliment you for this dishonourable behaviour? I give you no praise for this
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because I received from the Lord what I have taught you - that Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took a loaf,
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gave thanks, broke it, and said: “This is my body, broken for you. Do this to remember me. ”
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Similarly, the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. As often as you drink it, drink it to remember me. ”
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Whenever you do this, you are announcing the Lord's death - until he returns,
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but by partaking of these emblems in such an unworthy or inappropriate fashion, you are taking upon yourselves the guilt of putting him to death.
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Smarten up!Examine yourselves, do something about your behaviour, and then come here and partake of the emblems in the right frame of mind
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because if you let this continue, all you will be doing is bringing condemnation down on yourselves on account of your disregard for the body and blood of the Lord.
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This is why so many of you are so sick spiritually, some to the point of being dead to the things of the gospel.
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For if we would separate ourselves from our former ways, we should not be condemned.
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But when we are condemned, we are disciplined - educated, trained, corrected - by the Lord, so that we should not be condemned with the world and all its ways in the day of judgment.
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My brethren, when you meet together to share the emblems, encourage and learn from each other.
- And fill your bellies at home, so that your meetings do not become a cause of condemnation. I'll deal with the rest when I get there.